University of Alabama student, friend, dog killed in shooting, suspect charged with murder knew victims

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the killings of an Alabama university student, her friend, and a dog. The victims were reportedly shot to death on July 5 or 6 while house-sitting for a neighbor, authorities said.

De'Kendrick Crawford, 24, was taken into custody on July 7 after a four-hour standoff, resulting in a multi-agency tactical operation to retrieve Crawford from an apartment complex in Tuscaloosa County, WBRC reported.

"After four hours of tactical operations including drones, tear gas, walls and doors being breached, and attics being searched with K-9s, yeah, he never gave up," said Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy during a Tuesday press briefing. Crawford was apprehended roughly 10 hours after the victims' bodies were found.

The victims have been identified as Jazmine Alexis Bates, 22, originally from Chicago, and Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, a dad of three. The pair were friends and worked together at Buffalo Phil's Wings in Tuscaloosa, according to reports.



Alvarez-Duenas was dog-sitting for a woman who was out of the country, and Bates had gone over to the residence to visit him, only for both of them to be killed hours later. The homeowner contacted the police to conduct a welfare check after not being able to get a hold of Alvarez-Duenas on July 5 and 6. She then discovered a suspect acting suspiciously after accessing doorbell-type surveillance cameras.
 

Authorities said in a press conference that Crawford had known the victims. "We were able to identify who that suspicious person was that was seen on the doorbell cameras, and the person turned out to be an acquaintance of everyone there, including the primary resident. They used to all work together at a local business," said Capt. Kennedy. He said everyone involved "knew each other and socialized together at some point in the past."

Brockwood Police officers arrived at the home located on the 12900 block of Alabama Junction Road at 1 pm on July 6 and discovered Bates and Alvarez-Duenas deceased, as well as the pet dog. Alvarez-Duenas was found dead immediately upon police entering the home, and Bates' body was discovered in a bedroom closet. The three victims reportedly died of gunshot wounds, police said.

Crawford, who had an outstanding felony warrant for a separate May 2026 shooting in which a University of Alabama building was struck, was identified as the suspect. Local authorities obtained a warrant for capital murder and contacted the US Marshals Task Force to assist. Crawford was located hiding out at a relative's apartment in Northpont. He refused to exit, which resulted in the tactical breach.

Authorities have not yet provided a potential motive. Investigators said multiple additional charges are pending.

"This individual here is responsible for what he did," said Capt. Kennedy. No one did anything incorrect to cause this. We don't know why he targeted them. They were not doing anything wrong. They had done nothing wrong to him. None of his acquaintances know why this occurred."